treatment Posted June 29 Posted June 29 20 minutes ago, jvmacross said: Comps with Yamato 1/60 VF-1... Appreciate the comparo-pics, but TZ's chest on those pics really does remind me of Leifeld's drawing shenanigans... Quote
treatment Posted June 29 Posted June 29 6 minutes ago, jvmacross said: Three Zero VF-1J 'Hikaru' Fighter..... Any way to alleviate that drag besides not installing the gunpod? Quote
m0n5t3r Posted June 29 Posted June 29 (edited) Awesome pics! Curious how it would look beside the Yamato with the legs extended. And fighter mode comparison. Edited June 29 by m0n5t3r Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 Three Zero VF-1J 'Hikaru' Details and misc.... Careful when removing these...they are on really tight and I almost felt the 'tool' they supply you with to open landing gear doors, etc was going to split in two...I finally got them removed, but not before both went airborne across the room! Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 18 minutes ago, treatment said: Any way to alleviate that drag besides not installing the gunpod? The pic is not fair as I was using a poster portfolio of all things as my 'table'...so it 'gives' to the weight of the valk...I will post a pic on 'solid' ground tomorrow...I am thinking it should at least barely not touch the ground.... Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 19 minutes ago, m0n5t3r said: Awesome pics! Curious how it would look beside the Yamato with the legs extended. And fighter mode comparison. It looks ugly with the gaping holes that are produced with the legs fully extended...I did on a few pics, but not all the way because of how bad it looks with the legs extended all the way...I can take a pic tomorrow in Battroid so it 'matches' the Yamato 1/60 in height and in Fighter...actually, I do not think it is possible in Fighter due to the weird way it all tabs in (or not!)....but I'll give it a shot... Quote
Darth_Tater69 Posted June 29 Posted June 29 32 minutes ago, jvmacross said: Three Zero VF-1J 'Hikaru' Details and misc.... Careful when removing these...they are on really tight and I almost felt the 'tool' they supply you with to open landing gear doors, etc was going to split in two...I finally got them removed, but not before both went airborne across the room! DAMN RICK IS DOUBLE CHEEKED UP Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 Just some brief thoughts for now....is Three Zero's VF-1 the chosen one?...I speak of the VF-1 DX that was prophesized to bring balance to the rest of Bandai's 1/60 DX line.....well, not so much.... It is a really nice figure, but has some very weird design elements that make you wonder why they implemented them....there are also some design elements that are completely ineffective and make you wonder if they were simply done to distinguish it from Bandai's VF-1 DX, which this VF-1 aims to imitate... A couple of the things that I find annoying are the 'loose-straight-out-of-the-box' nozzle thingies.... ...I found myself constantly moving them back into place, which honestly they barely are in place when in the 'correct' position....I seem to recall a similar implementation back on the Yamato V1...these same nozzles would slide and hold the legs together if I recall correctly...anyways, of all things to bring back...not sure what three zero was thinking on these.... Another issue is the lack of proper tabing for the arms when in fighter mode....heck even Kitz Concept knew not to bugger that up....well, until they decided to re-tool their V2 VF-1 and screwed things up more than needed....anyways, for whatever reason, three zero, again, probably in their attempt to differentiate their 'not-Bandai DX VF-1', decided to add a very new and very bad tabing design...this is what I am referring to... The black pegs go into the holes located on the elbow joint of the arms....perhaps it could have worked if they were properly fitted...they fit poorly and do not hold all that well....to make matters worse, the arms themselves do not tab into each other like most modern VF-1 have done for the last 20+ years....so for the most part....prayers and some friction from the legs are holding the arms in place....oh and did I mention the arms are too wide and thus hang below the profile of the legs in fighter mode...smh I'll stop here....I think the figure is OK...IMO it is best in Gerwalk...the most Macross-y of modes....but most collectors I think are more interested in how good it looks and handles in Battroid and Fighter....it is solid in Battroid, but it just doesn't look that good...too beefy IMO....the KC looks better to me even with it's ginourmous air intakes in Battroid, I'm just not that into VF-1's that are chunky, unless they are a 1/55 OG VF-1.....As for Fighter....I guess it's OK, but to me it seems sort of gappy when looking at it from a side view........overall I would classify Three Zero's VF-1 as a nice 20 footer.......designing VF-1's ain't easy as Three Zero can probably attest too by now.... I have one more of these on PO at BBTS...not sure if I really need 2 of these, will find out if I can cancel with no penalty....and I am fiercely debating with my inner collector beast if I really need Three Zero's VF-1S..... Quote
MKT Posted June 29 Posted June 29 So it sounds like Yamcadia v2 still has the best tolerances & overall engineering... and its turning sweet 16 this year. Quote
Darth_Tater69 Posted June 29 Posted June 29 4 minutes ago, MKT said: So it sounds like Yamcadia v2 still has the best tolerances & overall engineering... and its turning sweet 16 this year. I thought the bandai dx was considered to have the best overall engineering? Though I've never owned one so I can't say myself, that's just what I heard Quote
jenius Posted June 29 Posted June 29 12 minutes ago, Darth_Tater69 said: I thought the bandai dx was considered to have the best overall engineering? Though I've never owned one so I can't say myself, that's just what I heard Yes, largely the DX is the better engineered toy but it has a couple glaring deficiencies that might make people prefer the Yamato V2. Like the ThreeZero from JVMacross' report, the DX has insufficient tabs that go into the elbows to hold the arms up in fighter mode, but on the DX it's mostly just a problem if you're using Super Parts. The DX also has the controversial disconnecting piece in the swing arm that, when used, enables a full waist. It drives me nuts because it usually causes my toy to become two separate parts during transformation which can actually be quite dangerours for the toy if you're trying to transform it standing up instead of sitting and holding it in your lap. I also think 1/48 scale is rubbish but that's not really an engineering issue. Quote
Darth_Tater69 Posted June 29 Posted June 29 9 minutes ago, jenius said: Yes, largely the DX is the better engineered toy but it has a couple glaring deficiencies that might make people prefer the Yamato V2. Like the ThreeZero from JVMacross' report, the DX has insufficient tabs that go into the elbows to hold the arms up in fighter mode, but on the DX it's mostly just a problem if you're using Super Parts. The DX also has the controversial disconnecting piece in the swing arm that, when used, enables a full waist. It drives me nuts because it usually causes my toy to become two separate parts during transformation which can actually be quite dangerours for the toy if you're trying to transform it standing up instead of sitting and holding it in your lap. I also think 1/48 scale is rubbish but that's not really an engineering issue. Damn, now I'm tempting to get my hands on a Yamato v2 toy. Cheapest way I've found to do that is the Valkyrie factory KOs, are they any good? I'd normally go for the official but, as you all know, the secondary market for this stuff blows in the States Quote
MKT Posted June 29 Posted June 29 1 hour ago, Darth_Tater69 said: I thought the bandai dx was considered to have the best overall engineering? Though I've never owned one so I can't say myself, that's just what I heard It is close and better in a few ways.. just that what I like about Yamcadia v2 are that everything they tried to implement works well, whereas for Bandai there are couple of areas that seems a bit overlooked or half baked, as already explained by @jenius. The Yamcadia also has something that no other mold has yet - the removable nosecone. It is something probably only a small percentage of owners will appreciate, but it is the one those little extra features that show Yamato or Arcadia valks are made by fans. 1 hour ago, Darth_Tater69 said: Damn, now I'm tempting to get my hands on a Yamato v2 toy. Cheapest way I've found to do that is the Valkyrie factory KOs, are they any good? I'd normally go for the official but, as you all know, the secondary market for this stuff blows in the States I'd say it's worth to hunt an original Yamcadia toy. Some can be found cheap on Mandarake, and price not much different than the KO. The KO is definitely a step down from the original - you'd lose the precision of the original's mold which in my opinion is a main draw & must be experienced for every Macross collector, but ironically the consensus is that the KO is still better than a KC valk. Quote
Darth_Tater69 Posted June 29 Posted June 29 1 hour ago, MKT said: It is close and better in a few ways.. just that what I like about Yamcadia v2 are that everything they tried to implement works well, whereas for Bandai there are couple of areas that seems a bit overlooked or half baked, as already explained by @jenius. The Yamcadia also has something that no other mold has yet - the removable nosecone. It is something probably only a small percentage of owners will appreciate, but it is the one those little extra features that show Yamato or Arcadia valks are made by fans. I'd say it's worth to hunt an original Yamcadia toy. Some can be found cheap on Mandarake, and price not much different than the KO. The KO is definitely a step down from the original - you'd lose the precision of the original's mold which in my opinion is a main draw & must be experienced for every Macross collector, but ironically the consensus is that the KO is still better than a KC valk. Maybe I'm just inept at using mandarake but even the used Yamato v2 toys I find seem to be more expensive than the threezero. I'd think that 16~ years post release they'd depreciate some. Best deal I found was a Yamato V2 Fokker super Valkyrie for 160 + import fees and such. At that price point it's hard to argue against just settling for the threezero Quote
MKT Posted June 29 Posted June 29 3 hours ago, Darth_Tater69 said: Maybe I'm just inept at using mandarake but even the used Yamato v2 toys I find seem to be more expensive than the threezero. I'd think that 16~ years post release they'd depreciate some. Best deal I found was a Yamato V2 Fokker super Valkyrie for 160 + import fees and such. At that price point it's hard to argue against just settling for the threezero It is hard to argue against Threezero's value, especially when they are priced around the same worldwide without paying costly shipping from origin country. I think the Yamcadia v2 mold that has somewhat depressed prices are: 1. Yamato TV Hikaru 1J, either with or without Supers. 2. Yamato movie Roy 1S, with or without Strike packs. 3. Either Yamato VE-1, or Arcadia PF VE-1. These have been firmly below Yen 20k for a long time - they have only recently broken the 20k mark. 4. Arcadia VF-1J Armored. All of above will come up for stock on Mandarake every occasionally. For both (1) & (2) they would be the batches that have the shoulder crack issue - I have a few of these and although the crack is there, the shoulders hold up to transformation & handling provided they are supported well during movement. A single VF-1 is never enough - there are so many choices and so many schemes, and this classic design looks good in every mode and deserves multiple copies on one's shelf! Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 10 hours ago, Darth_Tater69 said: Can you get that 3rd elbow joint unlocked? This? Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 10 hours ago, treatment said: Any way to alleviate that drag besides not installing the gunpod? Barely...but technically does not drag... Quote
treatment Posted June 29 Posted June 29 2 hours ago, jvmacross said: Barely...but technically does not drag... Good to know! Thanks! Quote
treatment Posted June 29 Posted June 29 9 hours ago, Darth_Tater69 said: Maybe I'm just inept at using mandarake but even the used Yamato v2 toys I find seem to be more expensive than the threezero. I'd think that 16~ years post release they'd depreciate some. Best deal I found was a Yamato V2 Fokker super Valkyrie for 160 + import fees and such. At that price point it's hard to argue against just settling for the threezero Don't want to clutter this thread with non-Robotech stuff, but your best bet for Yamarcadias is to check out the What's Next for Arcadia thread. The Strike Hikaru and Strike Roy reissues are both scheduled later this year. Quote
Stampeed Valkyrie Posted June 29 Posted June 29 @jvmacross nice pictures.. so the real question is.. smash or pass? 🤣 I'll probably order one if I can still get it. Quote
Chronocidal Posted June 29 Posted June 29 (edited) Seeing this.. I might go and just cancel the order I put in at BBTS. Looking like they just managed to transport all of the detrimental features of the DX to the Yamato V2 size, while adding a healthy dose of un-thinking in the process. Also.. I'm resisting the urge to scream here. Seriously.. is it THAT hard to type "aircraft markings" into google, and do even a cursory search to understand what markings might possibly make sense in what locations? I can maybe give the "beware of blast" on the nose fairings a pass, since I'm not sure it was ever defined what those were.. but warning people about propellant being stored in the tails has got to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen printed on a valk. Far as the elbow goes though, everyone's curious whether the block inside the arm can rotate like discussed in some earlier pictures. Early prototypes show it moving (like every other VF-1 has done), but it looks like that section is frozen in place in more recent pics. It would theoretically give the arm a third elbow joint. Edited June 29 by Chronocidal Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 So I've had some time to fiddle around with this thing.... Getting back to this piece..... looks like in the short time I have had this VF, I have managed to smudge the tampo for it...anyways....looking at the issue a bit closer...I am at a loss to explain the need of ThreeZero having this piece made to move...the easy solution would have been to have simply molded the piece as one single piece that does not move at all, as the panel that opens/closes does not require this peice to be able to move....it stays closed with or without the moving piece being in the correct or incorrect position.... As to why it is so loose, you need to look underneath the panel.... I think instead of it being a plastic plug, they should have used a tiny screw to provide more for the moving piece to stay put in either closed or opened position...but actually, the piece should just have been molded as a single piece as it does not have any of it's intended function...I can see Three Zero fixing this on the VF-1S....maybe Another issue seems to be some gappiness close to the intake section...as shown here.... To me, it almost seems like perhaps ThreeZero maybe have intended to provide some 'option' piece to plug up that hole.....without it and in combination of the exposed screw holes...it is a very sloppy section...Three Zero definitely dropped the ball in this area.... The same section on a Yamato is done much nicely and minimizes the 'gap' in this area.... Let's move onto the other huge design fail from Three Zero's VF-1....and that would be the beefy arms that cause them to go beyond the height of the legs in Fighter mode... Three Zero VF-1 beefy arms.....I like their use of the red metallic paint...maybe they bought some leftover from Kitzconcept's God of Fire run! Yamato's slender arms.... ...and this is the result of trying to make your toy look more like the way it was drawn in the lineart.....note how it is not flush to the height of the legs.... ...this is how it looks on the Yamato VF-1....nice and flush.... ....and if those beefy arms weren't causing enough problems for fighter mode...Three Zero said...f it...beef up the gunpod too! That's about it for now....I still think that Gerwalk mode is the best mode for the Three Zero VF-1....but even so, the Yamato still has it beat even in Gerwalk....IMO, the Yamato 1/60 V2 remains the best all-round modern day 'DX' PT VF-1.....maybe they have not wasted any time and money on coming up with a V3 because they simply continue to not need to.... Quote
Chronocidal Posted June 29 Posted June 29 Doesn't that nose piece have to slide forward to provide an opening for the hip bar to fit into the nose? That's how the Bandai DX has it. The sloppy mounting is a separate issue, of course. Quote
jvmacross Posted June 29 Posted June 29 52 minutes ago, Chronocidal said: Doesn't that nose piece have to slide forward to provide an opening for the hip bar to fit into the nose? That's how the Bandai DX has it. The sloppy mounting is a separate issue, of course. To be honest, I didn't remember since I hardly have messed with the DX....but you are right...it is the exact same implementation as the DX...so took a look at the larger DX and came up with a simple way to provide just enough 'hold' so it stops from sliding down....I took some floss and wrapped enough of it around the small plastic pin to hold it in place but still having enough room to be able to slide it up and down....at least now it is not a floppy mess......maybe adding some layers of paper cut to the same shape may be a nicer looking solution, want to avoid adding any glue or similar product.... still, now I can't unsee the gap on it on the DX...lol ....but now I found another part that I have no idea what it is used for, but seems to also be so loose that when 'swooshed' around you can hear it move....it is located inside of the front landing gear and does not seem to impede the front landing gear in any way, but just seems odd that it is so loose...guess I'll go take a look at the DX and see if the same part is there too...LOL Quote
MKT Posted June 30 Posted June 30 4 hours ago, jvmacross said: Another issue seems to be some gappiness close to the intake section...as shown here.... To me, it almost seems like perhaps ThreeZero maybe have intended to provide some 'option' piece to plug up that hole.....without it and in combination of the exposed screw holes...it is a very sloppy section...Three Zero definitely dropped the ball in this area.... The same section on a Yamato is done much nicely and minimizes the 'gap' in this area.... When I saw the gap on TZ’s I wasn’t that surprised as the DX also has the same big gap compared to Yamato’s. The gap is where the shoulder rests into in Battroid & I remember thinking perhaps it’s inevitable for sliding type shoulder mechanism, but then again the HMR VF-0 has no such gap. Quote
tekering Posted June 30 Posted June 30 You've absolutely outdone yourself, @jvmacross, with the most comprehensive review gallery I've ever seen. Kudos! Incidentally... I love these flight crew figures. Can I ask where you got them? Quote
jvmacross Posted June 30 Posted June 30 6 hours ago, tekering said: You've absolutely outdone yourself, @jvmacross, with the most comprehensive review gallery I've ever seen. Kudos! Incidentally... I love these flight crew figures. Can I ask where you got them? Thanks! As for the figs...I have been buying them randomly as I find them over the years...unfortunately I am not that organized when it comes to keeping track of what I have....I want to say they came with some Hobby Master flight deck crew sets...if not...I have also found similar 1/72 scaled figs on ebay...one brand is called rabbit club....oh and all these figs I have were bought pre-painted....If I find the packaging for these I'll post it up.... Quote
Hiriyu Posted June 30 Posted June 30 On 6/29/2024 at 5:52 AM, jvmacross said: This? What the peanut gallery (me included!) would like to know is whether the part I've highlighted in pink articulates, or whether it's fixed to the forearm armor. It looks like it should pivot in the forearm at the same mounting point as the skinny elbow piece, to 'bulk up' the appearance of the elbow joint. The earlier prototype photos shared on the last page all showed that part rotated out parallel with the skinny elbow piece, but none of the user images of the actual toy show it deployed. Quote
jvmacross Posted June 30 Posted June 30 2 hours ago, Hiriyu said: What the peanut gallery (me included!) would like to know is whether the part I've highlighted in pink articulates, or whether it's fixed to the forearm armor. It looks like it should pivot in the forearm at the same mounting point as the skinny elbow piece, to 'bulk up' the appearance of the elbow joint. The earlier prototype photos shared on the last page all showed that part rotated out parallel with the skinny elbow piece, but none of the user images of the actual toy show it deployed. Can you point out the "official" pic from threezero showing what you are alluding to? Quote
Hiriyu Posted June 30 Posted June 30 I'm not sure about officiality/provenance, but this one shared by Chronocidal shows what we're talking about. Elbows. Quote
Chronocidal Posted June 30 Posted June 30 I forget if the review I got that capture from actually showed the arms moving enough to tell of they move that way. I'm assuming those were company stock photos used during pre-order. Quote
DYRL VF-1S Posted June 30 Posted June 30 On 6/28/2024 at 11:20 PM, jvmacross said: Three Zero VF-1J 'Hikaru' Details and misc.... Careful when removing these...they are on really tight and I almost felt the 'tool' they supply you with to open landing gear doors, etc was going to split in two...I finally got them removed, but not before both went airborne across the room! Nice I was wondering how this would look with the carrier diorama. Been waiting for 3Z to display it Quote
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